Sunday Confessional! (#1)

I've decided to start my own meme, based off of the recent post by ALA in which librarians posted their secrets and confessions.

On Sundays, (or Mondays if I forget) I will post a confession related to my job or books. If you would like to join in, go ahead! Share with me your book-related confession!

To start off:
I have a shelf behind the checkout desk that I use to hold books that have not yet been entered into the library database. When a student asks me to check out one of those books, I feel selfish and territorial. I let them, but I can't stop the feelings of 'those are MY books!' 'I want to be the first to read them!'

As I said, I still let them check it out, and I love hearing them tell me if they enjoyed the book. It's hard for me to make the difference between 'my' books and library books that I bought for them. 

Ugh. Sometimes it's hard to be a book lover and a librarian.

So tell me, what are YOUR confessions?
 Jenni

Stacking the Shelves #5

School Edition!

Stacking the Shelves is a meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews and gives us a chance to share with you what books we have recently bought, won, been given, or stole. ;-)

This week, I am featuring the 3 books I bought to add to my school library. The first two I am not posting a link/picture of. I bought 'Frankenstein' and 'The Strange Case of Mr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde." These were $1 books from Target, and I thought would make a great addition to my Halloween display. They are easier adaptations, and perfect for some of my reluctant readers. 

The final book was something my husband actually picked out. As a Gaiman fan, I thought this would be something fun. My library is seriously lacking in graphic novels, and I do want to add more to our system. Unfortunately, they are SO EXPENSIVE! My library is completely self-funded, so the only $ we get, comes from our annual book fair. As you can imagine, that money only goes so far. :-/

 

**Please note, ALL book covers on this blog link to their page on Goodreads.

The following books are books on NetGalley that I've had but forgotten about. (I fail! Sorry Netgalley!) These are books that I think would be good additions for my library, and I am reviewing them in hopes that I will buy them for that purpose.

I actually have quite a few book from my netgalley that I NEED to read/review. Does anyone know if there are any netgalley knockouts going on this month or next month? I'd love to participate!

Jenni

Ah, Middle School.

I decided to post once again on the topic very near and dear to my heart: being a school librarian.

If you recall, I work in a middle school. I have 6th-8th graders, and in one day I check out on average 300 books. Now, if you look back at your middle grade years, I am going to assume you cringed. Puberty is the worst, cliques are the worst, bullying is the worst... it seems that that age is universally 'the worst.'

It is difficult working with them. These kids now have an attitude and know how to use it. They understand sarcasm. They no longer want to be seen as 'cool' by the teacher, they want the students to. They have an opinion and by golly it must be FACT.

It is awkward. It is hard seeing the great divide between 'cool' students and the not-so cool students.

Why am I mentioning this? Well, because I had to see fellow book lovers bashed in my library yesterday. I know, it's heart breaking to hear of students feeling self-conscious just because they like to read.

I am starting a book club. While I was telling this to my students, I had a handful of students who were eager to get a flier from me, and were asking me questions about the club. (It is going to be a laid back/geeky club, rather then everyone reading the same book and then discussing it. It's going to be more book-talks, and fun activities like looking for book covers that use the same image. I'M EXCITED!)

When the teacher dismissed her class, a student yelled 'Yeah book club!' It was obviously very derogatory, and hearing it just made my heart sink. I stole a quick glance to the table of girls that were holding the flier and you could see they looked confused. Why must students be so incredibly cruel?

After the class left, the student and his teacher had a discussion in front of me. His teacher asked him why he didn't pick up a flier since he was 'so enthused' about the club. Of course he scuffled his feet, and avoided looking at us. After telling him we knew it was obvious he was NOT doing it to be nice, she asked him why he did it. His response was a cop out. "I don't understand the idea."

Instead of letting it go, his teacher asked him 'Do you ever people ask you why you like to get sweaty and roll around other guys?' He nodded, and then said that comments like that didn't bother him. The teacher told him that it was good for him that he might be able to not care why others didn't understand his love for wrestling and 'didn't get it' but that not everyone is like that.

In the end- I'm not sure he is truly sorry for making the comment he did. He thinks that reading is uncool, which in turn makes it OK to make fun of it.

As a mother- I am terrified of when it comes time for my daughter to be in middle school.

Right now, there are several students interested in the club and I am happy for them. Maybe this will help them- even if it means taking verbal abuse from their peers.

Review: Wicked Jealous

Robin Palmer - SPEAK

The Facts:272 pages - Paperback- 2 sittings

Summary from Goodreads: Simone never saw herself as the “cute girl”—she was always the chunky, band tee wearing, France-obsessed smart girl. But now that Simone’s a few pounds lighter and sporting a new retro style, things have gotten, well, weird. Her crush Jason seems to actually know she exists. And when Simone’s soon-to-be stepmonster Hillary stops ignoring her, Simone knows something is up. When Simone’s brother offers to let her move in with him and his six roommates on the beach for the summer, Simone jumps at the chance. But living with seven very different college boys isn’t exactly helping her land her very own happily ever after.


My Review: Do you know what makes a book 'good' to you? How do you rate and review a book knowing that the intended audience isn't actually for you- does that affect how 'good' you think it is?

When I am reading a book for my school library, I am not always looking for what I consider to be 'great literature.' I am looking for interesting books, that will help a reader cultivate their own opionons. I am not a fan of 'easy' books. I do not like Diary of a Wimpy Kid or Goosebumps. The kids in my school are pre-teens/teens. They should be pushing themselves to read more difficult books. However I know that these kids actually ENJOY the books, so I will not remove them. (Hmm. Perhaps I should write a blog post about this?) If a student is actually enjoying the book- I will consider it a 'win.' Why force a kid to read a book he has no interest in? It will only make him hesitant to read at all. Afterall, how many adults do we see reading YA? Just because I am an adult does not mean I wish to read Tom Clancy or Jane Austen every time I pick up a book.

So when I say this book is a 'cute, easy read' I mean that the story was cute enough that I was able to ignore the flaws of the book and enjoy what I was reading. I read this book in two sittings. It's fast, and for the most part, we understand the basic plot. It is a modern re-telling of Snow White, after all.

The main character becomes annoying- often. She is an overweight girl who kicks her snacking habit and starts going to Zumba. She sheds weight almost instantly it seems, and her personality changes a bit too- and not for the better. She becomes superficial. She becomes your 'normal' drama-filled, boy crazy girl.

The boys in the book are also very stereotypical at points, and it's hard to imagine a group of boys who all of a sudden care deeply for their friend's sister. (Yeah, I can't imagine a frat house calling a meeting because a girl looks sad.)

With that said the book is cute. It's enjoyable. And while the book is 'easy' it makes me want to pick up another book just to keep the warm-fuzzies going. And THAT, my dear readers, is what I call a 'good' book.

My Rating: 4 stars. If Simone had better character development, I would have given this 5 stars, easily.

Jenni

Teaser Tuesday (#6)

It's Tuesday, already?

 With Halloween just around the corner, I decided this month I would devote to Stephen King. My husband owns all of his books, and I have read a couple of his before. I KNEW I would be reading Doctor Sleep, but my husband has been insisting for over a year now that I read The Long Road. Well, last night I picked it up finally. Why did it take me so long to do so? Stephen King, you are a mastermind, a scary genius who has a way with words.

Teaser Tuesday is a meme hosted by Should Be Reading, in which we post a little *non-spoiler* teaser of the book we are currently reading.

"Garraty wondered how it would be, to lie in the biggest, dustiest library silence of all, dreaming endless, thoughtless dreams behind your gummed-down eyelids, dressed forever in your Sunday suit. No worries about money, success, fear, joy, pain, sorrow, sex, or love. Absolute zero. No father, mother, girlfriend, lover. The dead are orphans. No company but the silence like a moth's wing. An end to the agony of movement, to the long nightmare of going down the road. The body in peace, stillness, and order. The perfect darkness of death.
How would that be? Just how would that be?"

 

I went upstairs to read at 8:30 last night. (What, my baby was asleep before 9?!?!) I put the book down at 10:30, and still couldn't sleep because I wanted to finish the book. Damn! Please, do not tell my husband he was 'right' about something. I will never head the end of it.

--Jenni

Dangerous Waters: An Adventure on the Titanic

Gregory Mone - Roaring Brook Press

The Facts:240 pages - Paperback- 1 day

Summary from Goodreads: A stowaway, a stolen book, a murderous villain: an adventure on the most famous shipwreck in history.

 

The great ocean liner Titanic is preparing to cross the Atlantic. On board is a sinister thief bent on stealing a rare book that may be the key to unlocking infinite treasure, a wealthy academic traveling home to America with his rare book collection, and Patrick Waters, a twelve-year-old Irish boy who is certain that his job as a steward on the unsinkable ship will be the adventure of a lifetime. Disguises, capers, and danger abound as the ship makes its way toward that fateful iceberg where Patrick will have to summon all his wits in order to survive.

My Review: I bought this book to add to my school's library from Scholastic. Unfortunately, historical fiction is rarely read in my school and I wanted to find books to draw students into the genre. This book appeared to be all that I could hope for- and it was! 

The stories surrounding the Titanic tend to me popular anyways, but adding the actiony mystery to the mix was a nice touch. Part of the build-up of this book IS the fact that we know the Titanic will sink. While we get caught up in the 'what is going to happen to the characters?!' the story-line does stand on it's own. 

Students will  enjoy the action, the fighting and disguises, and might even become engaged in historical fiction! (Might I add- it does NOT feature a love story!) The historical aspects of this novel are spot on- and gave myself even a greater appreciation for those who worked in the boiler rooms. 

This book took me maybe 2 hours to read, however that while being interrupted by classes. I could not wait to finish the book, and when I did to look up the author to see what other books I could add to our collection. 

If you enjoy Middle Grade books, work with kids, or want to buy HF for a reluctant reader, this would be a great place to start. 

My Rating: 4 stars. The ending moved pretty quickly so I had to re-read a chapter to fully understand who was doing what, but other than that, this book will be a great addition to my library.

Jenni

Stacking the Shelves (#4)

Yay! A new Stacking the Shelves post!

Stacking the Shelves is a meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews and gives us a chance to share with you what books we have recently bought, won, been given, or stole. ;-)

These books are ones I bought either this week or last, as I don't exactly remember which book came from which trip! ****** Dirt Side Up: Re-Alive is written by a pretty awesome person, so I HIGHLY urge you to check it out! Bonus: It's only $1, and it is lend-able! I am willing to 'lend' to another book-reviewer, if you would please review it for him! *****************